Engine question

[Steve Larson]

I took my first sail of the season yesterday by moving my boat from Astabula, Ohio to Cleveland - about a 60 mile trip. I was very pleasantly surprised to see how well it sailed with the installation of a new mainsail, martec folding prop, and a new bottom job. The first 50 miles went well with winds out of the south but the last 10 miles the wind turned and came out of the southwest directly into our faces. We decided to motor sail. After an hour sailing at about 3000 rpms the engine started to labor and I reduced the rpms to about 2000. It seemed to run ok at that for a couple of minutes and then I took it back to 3000 and the engine started to knock and I turned it off. I immediately clecked the engine and it did not feel overheated and the cooling system seemed to be operating properly. Also checked the strainer and the hot water to make sure that the impellers were circulating the closed loop. After about two more hours I started the engine again and started running again at about 3000 rpms. After 20 minutes it started to labor again. I shut it down saving whatever time I had left to negotiate the new harbor I was going to.My guess is that it is the fuel filter that is clogged and is not allowing fuel to pass. Prior to leaving I added 5 gallons of fuel to the tank so I was not short of fuel. I am planning to replace the fuel filters but am looking for any other suggestions that others may have as to what to look for.

 

[Tom Ehmke]

Sounds like a fuel problem to me, Steve

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago on my 272 returning from Drummond Island. It's creepy to be about an hour out on a 5-day sail home and have the engine sputter and quit. I made the usual checks. Oil ok, fresh water intake, ok. I drained some fuel from the water/fuel separator filter as an afterthought, started her back up and she ran, occasionally missing and blowing white smoke (residual dirt and water, I guess). Long-term solution? Clean (or replace) the fuel filter(s) There should be a fuel/water separator filter in the lazarette (or some other accessible spot) and a primary and a secondary filter on the engine. Clean the water/fuel separator filter and replace the filters on the engine. I replaced the water/fuel filter on my 272 with a Racor spin-on a couple of years ago and added a shut-off valve on the inlet side of the new filter to make changing filters much easier. The fuel shut-off valve on my 272 is on top of the tank which is almost inaccessible. I couldn't find it for a couple of years and lost a lot of diesel fuel changing filters on the engine... yeah, well.By the way, did you get the work done on your head/holding tank system? I finished up a few weeks ago, but opted NOT to buy the Sealand hose. If I recall correctly you and I were both interested in the impermeable hose recommended by Peggy H.Have a great season!!Tom

 

[Paul Sealock]

Fuel Filter

If you have not replaced the primary fuel filter (Racor) and the secondary fuel filter (on the side of engine), then you more than likely have a fouled fuel filter (say that five times fast!!).I know from experience that you can go along for hours and then the engine will labor and slow down; stop for a while and then work for an hour and then repeat. Check them out.

 

[Steve Larson]

Thanks for the response

I figured that it was something like that. I just didn't know if there was something else I should check. Tom, I was a glutton for punishment this year. I decided to strip the bottom down to gelcoat to put new barrier coat on followed by new bottom paint. Found some stress cracks in the bow area and put new glass reinforcement under the v-berth area. I then replaced every hose in the boat, made new interior and cockpit cushion covers, put in a new shelf above the galley counter, spliced all new docklines, scrubbed down the hull followed by poliglow, and installed an external speaker for the vhf in the cockpit. I did replace the hoses with the Sealand impermeable hose. I had to take out the macerator pump, gate valve and seal the thru hull fitting so I took out the vanity to make getting to these things easier. While I had these pieces out I sanded to bare wood and recovered with formica. I put everything back together and finished by putting a new head in.Unfortunately, there is still a pungent smell upon entering the boat which emanates from under the v-berth. I have tried washing with bleach followed by rinse with hot water, cleaning the bilge, shoving a hose down any liner opening to no avail. This last weekend I took a pressurized garden sprayer and filled it with KO (a product sold on this site) and sprayed some in every opening in the liner along with putting some in the holding tank. I even have installed a solar ventilator in the hatch in the v-berth area.